Version 2.0 of Award-Winning Social Music Service Now Available with Optimized User Interface
Sunnyvale, California, USA — October 16, 2007 — Social.FM today unveiled a new version of its innovative social music service with a newly optimized user interface. This announcement marks a significant re-design of the industry’s first and only social music service for Windows Mobile 6 devices and improves usability for Social.FM mobile users. Social.FM also announced that starting today, Microsoft will provide a free lifetime subscription to Social.FM for all Microsoft employees worldwide.
The new Social.FM features a dynamic and improved user interface with advanced application screens, sliding menus with transition effects, and an easy-to-read white and green color scheme that is extremely fun-to-use for Windows Mobile customers.
“Windows Mobile is designed so people can personalize their devices with compelling applications that enhance their lifestyles,” said John Dietz, group product manager at Microsoft Corporation. “We’re excited to see Social.FM offer new ways to access music and entertainment on the devices people rely on for work and play on the go.”
“The Windows Mobile platform is a key enabler for next-generation wireless media services such as Social.FM,” said Avikk Ghose, vice president, business development at Social.FM. “The growing market for Windows Mobile-powered devices combined with Microsoft’s digital media expertise and experience will accelerate the deployment of our industry-leading social music service for mobile users.”
Additionally, Social.FM today announced that it has joined the Microsoft Mobile2Market Program which promotes “Designed for Windows Mobile” logo-certified applications for Windows Mobile-based Smartphones and Pocket PCs to a worldwide audience of mobile operators, e-tailers, retailers and consumers.
Social.FM is an immersive social music service that allows consumers to enjoy their favorite music anytime, anywhere, directly from their mobile devices. Consumers can access the music libraries stored on their own PCs, the music libraries of friends and family, thousands of digital radio channels searchable by artist and genre, and streaming podcasts from leading media sources such as CNN, ESPN, Major League Baseball (MLB) and National Public Radio (NPR). Social.FM uses social discovery, recommendations and user-contributed content to create a comprehensive music catalogue that is unsurpassed in depth and breadth with millions of unique tracks across all music genres.
Social.FM leverages the 2.5G, 3G and HSDPA capabilities of Windows Mobile-powered multimedia devices and utilizes high-performance streaming media formats which provide the benefit of superior audio quality with data usage equivalent to or lower than other mobile music services.
Device and Network Compatibility
Social.FM is optimized for a broad range of Windows Mobile devices from handset manufacturers such as Asus, Audiovox (NASDAQ:VOXX), Dell (NASDAQ:DELL), HP (NYSE:HPQ), HTC, i-mate, Intermec (NYSE: IN), Motorola (NYSE:MOT), Palm (NASDAQ:PALM), Psion Teklogix, Samsung, Siemens (NYSE:SI), Sierra Wireless (TSE:SW), Toshiba and UTStarcom (NASDAQ:UTSI). Mobile operators that intend to initiate or increase their distribution of Windows Mobile-powered devices this year include AT&T, Chunghwa Telecom, SingTel, Sprint, Telefonica, Verizon Wireless, Vodafone and Willcom.
Social.FM Mobile is compatible with 2.5G, 3G and higher mobile broadband networks such as EDGE, EV-DO, UMTS, HSDPA, Wi-Fi and WiMax.
Pricing and Availability
Starting today and available through November 30, Social.FM is offered as a FREE PREVIEW for Windows Mobile users at www.social.fm/mobile. After the free preview period, Social.FM will be available at an introductory price of $19.95 for a one-year subscription.
Members of the press and product reviewers can download high-resolution company logos and background material at www.social.fm/press.
About Social.FM
Social.FM is defining the future of social media consumption by building innovative products and services that leverage social broadcasting, social networking and user-contributed content to enable consumers to enjoy their favorite media anytime, anywhere and from anyone. Founded in 2003 by McAfee.com (NASDAQ:MCAF) founder and CEO Srivats Sampath, Social.FM is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, USA. For more information, please visit us on the web at www.social.fm.
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Social.FM and Mercora are all trademarks or registered trademarks of Mercora, Inc. All other product names and trademarks are the property of their respective firms.
Media Contact:
Paula Dunne
Contos Dunne Communications
+1 408 776 1400 direct
}}}}pdunne@contosdunne.com
